Winter's Embrace

Fallen leaves blanket the ground. The sea breeze brings the chill of winter, and the nights grow long. Despite the cold, this season is a gift, as is the chance to forge new friendships…

Order your own copy of Winter's Embrace at your local retailer or online through our website with free continental US shipping today!

Welcome to the Winter Court.

Being invited to the Emperor’s Winter Court is daunting enough, but an invitation to tea with a legendary member of the Crane Clan thrusts you into the thick of a devious scheme. Your group is tasked with uncovering the truth behind how a dangerous band of scoundrels from the Mantis Clan secured a coveted invitation to the event, and, more importantly, what plots they hope to accomplish while they are here.

Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce Winter’s Embrace, a new pre-made adventure for the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

When you pre-order a copy of Winter’s Embrace through our webstore, you will receive an exclusive pre-order bonus: four 5” by 7” art prints and a bookmark emblazoned with gorgeous Legend of the Five Rings art, and preorders within the continental United States will also receive free shipping!

A Cordial Invitation

Winter’s Embrace is a perfect companion to the Courts of Stone sourcebook, where games of diplomacy, romance, and intrigue take center stage. This adventure takes you and your fellow samurai to the beautiful grounds of Kyūden Doji, where you are introduced to the hazards of court politics. Here, you are surrounded by the political power players of the Emerald Empire—diplomats, artisans, shugenja, bushi, magistrates, and daimyō fill the lavish halls. Certain samurai have been selected to attend based on their skills and positions, while monks also serve as counselors in difficult matters of state.

But somehow, a few select members of the Mantis Clan are also present. This is unusual, not only because Minor Clans are not typically given the honor of participating in events so close to the Emperor, but the Mantis in particular are seen by many as mere pirates with flippant disregard for social grace. It is well known, however, that their leader seeks recognition from the Emperor, perhaps even an ascension to Great Clan status. Yet a strained relationship with the Crane Clan, the true masters of the court, makes such desires seem foolhardy.

But now their chance may have finally arrived, and Kakita Ryoku wants you to ensure that does not happen. As the course of history may be decided over just a few days, the race is on for you to determine truth from rumor of the Mantis Clan’s motives, and potentially upset their plans before it is too late and you become trapped in the competing political schemes of the Crane and Mantis Clans. The reputations of both factions are at stake, and your decisions can shape the future of the Emerald Empire. As the plots begin to unravel around you, the more you will find that a whispered word can kill as easily as a sword. Can you survive the poisonous lies and shadow politics of the Rokugani elite?

Storms Roll Ashore

In addition to the adventure itself, Winter’s Embrace also includes a beautifully illustrated double-sided map that depicts the Lands of the Crane and the Islands of the Mantis, as well as the Esteemed Palaces of the Crane Clan, Kyūden Doji. On this grand estate, each guesthouse is built with a particular Great Clan in mind. The Unicorn have large stables, the Crab can quickly turn their accommodations into a small fortress in case of an attack, and the Phoenix enjoy several dozen shrines. And throughout the palace run the labyrinthine halls that provide the shadows to shelter all manner of dark deeds.

As you navigate the twisting schemes of the court, Winter’s Embrace helps you track each of the non-player characters you encounter with more than fifty tokens. Among the power players in this adventure, you may come across the renowned Ashina Takako and Kakita Ryoku of the Crane Clan, as well as Mantis Clan’s charming leader, Lord Yoritomo. As the plot thickens, these identifying tokens can prove invaluable in helping you remember who is a friend, who is a foe, and the location of each character at a glance. In the courts of the Emerald Empire, a single misplaced word can mean dishonor or death. You must take care to keep your eyes open and your weapon ready.

Open the Gates

The Winter Court is about to commence! Now that you have secured your invitation, will you be able to safeguard your clan’s status in the eyes of the Emperor, or will your lack of tact lead to your clan’s downfall? Discover the truth, choose your side, and determine the course of the future!

Look for Winter’s Embrace (L5R09) when it arrives at retailers in the second quarter of 2019! You can pre-order your copy of this adventure at your local retailer today or online through the Fantasy Flight Games website here!

In the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, players take on the role of individual samurai whose honor and loyalty will be put to the test. These samurai serve their lords as warriors, courtiers, priests, or monks and embark on adventures filled with drama, suspense, humor, romance, and horror.